


ZT Vice

by Metals



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime, F/M, Lewd Vice Operations, ongoing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-09
Updated: 2016-06-24
Packaged: 2018-06-07 07:37:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6795109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Metals/pseuds/Metals
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In Zootopia, animals act sometimes as if the night covers them from the eyes of God. Now the watchful eyes of Zootopia Vice have co-opted two of the forces most accomplished officers, and Nick and Judy aim to shine a light on the nefarious actions of the city's criminal elements! However, moving into a new fields comes with new challenges and our heroes will struggle lest their own paws be muddied in the detritus of the city and the jobs they face.</p><p>An evolving crime story, in parts. Beginning in a rainforest club of ill repute...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [trash and friends](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=trash+and+friends).



_This,_ She thought as she stepped out on stage for a whistling, yowling crowd, _Is a stupid assignment._

“ _Ow_ baby! Bend over and show me that tail!” A lion from the audience roared the cheers from his tablemates and, crimson-faced, she wrapped her paws around the pole in front of her and began to bounce her hips lower and lower as the raucous noise of the crowd rang in her ears.

  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
The morning had been quite usual overall. Judy was somewhat frustrated to see she'd again been beaten to the briefing room today by a smartly dressed Nick, his fur flicking free like tiny paintbrush bristles against his officers uniform. She snagged one of the few remaining (plain) donuts before snagging a seat alongside Nick. He put an arm around her, and she giggled as Francine gave a wolf-whistle from her trunk.  
  
“Calm down Francine, we submitted all the paperwork.” He said, giving her ear a nip, and she smacked him with a paw in return. “Hmm, though Bogo definitely gave us a weird look when I turned it in. Maybe old man just doesn’t get the species-barrier deal.” The door slammed, and they all quickly turned to attention. Any cape buffalo could cut an intimidating figure, and Bogo was no exception; thickly built, his curls horns only served to point the focus toward his generally dour face and he exuded the usual intimidating level of control. It was an interesting give and take with him anymore, and Judy and Nick waited coolly to be the last group called, either through force of habit or simply his gruff sense of humor.  
  
“Hopps! Wilde!” He barked. The duo turned in their chair. "Report to me on the details of your case. Vice duty said they couldn’t take this one with their workload and further saw it as requiring your particular expertise.”  
Among the various scraping of seats and desks, Nick whispered into Judy’s perked ear. “What are ya thinkin’ carrots?”  
  
“I’m thinking this could be something interesting. Let’s go.” She replied. Deftly leaping from the chair, she watched Nick slowly lower himself off of it before the took off for the chief. “Considering he said it’s our expertise, what are you guessing? Kidnappings, organized crime….”  
  
“I'm thinking something sexy.” Nick said, confidently as they made for the door. Judy shot him a look.  
  
“Awful specific on the guesses, though maybe that's just where your mind is right now. We’ll see what’s what when we meet with Bogo.” She whispered as they made their approach. Judy jumped and deftly tugged opened the door to the office before they filed inside. Bogo peered sternly at them over his glasses as they clambered up onto the seat. Taking a moment to shuffle his papers, he sighed and closed his eyes.  
  
“The intrepid team arrives for their case. I have to say I’m not pleased with seeing vice toss us something like this, especially since it’s going to be undercover work.” Bogo said. Nick elbowed Judy excitedly and she smacked him with an ear. Bogo snorted and continued. “The case centers on a locale known as The Vines, a small strip joint located in the seedier parts of the rainforest district.”  
  
“Sound fairly knowledgeable chief.” Nick quipped, flicking his ears knowingly.  
  
“That’s your one quip for the month. I can easily assign you to desk work instead; I know how you love filling out papers.” The buffalo said gruffly, causing Nick to go silent and wrinkle his muzzle. “As I was saying before, The Vine’s is an exotic pred-prey dancing locale, but we believe that the places is actually a front for something more judging from the increased number of hospitalizations and cases of domestic violence, vagrancy, and general degredation of the area; your relationship makes things seem more natural as a pair, and if you think you’re up to it, they have an opening for dancers.”  
  
"So I’m going to have to get half-naked and try and jostle info from the employees while Nick schmoozes the owner as my ‘management.’ That about right?” Judy sighed, as Nick held in a snigger.  
  
“No, and I wouldn’t assume that smug look of yours just yet Officer Wilde.” Bogo said with a grin. He looked pointedly at Nick, who suddenly appeared a little guilty. “They need dancers of both genders. Vice already went through their connections and got the both of you an in.”  
  
He tore a check from a nearby checkbook and slid it in the case file. “Clothing stipend; dress appropriately. Determine the legal status and inner workings of The Vines, report back to me. Dismissed.”

  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  
“I’m thinking mesh. Is mesh too much?” Nick said, peering though the fabric.  
  
The two shopped together at a small thrift shop owned by an elderly punk-aesthetic cheetah male and his young kits, Nick his snide self as he closely inspected a pair of leather chaps. “Or do you think this place wants the daddy kind of vibe?”  
  
“Nick.” Judy said, nudging him. He turned and noticed one of the cheetah cubs staring at him, arms full of inventory. “Maybe be a little less conspicuous as we prep to go plainclothes?”  
  
“Plainclothes? Nah babe, these are the big leagues now; vice! Spy-games! Conspiracy!” He said. Nick wrapped her in close with a tail, and she blushed. “Reminds me of when we met.” Just as quick he broke apart, and grabbing a pink mesh top Judy had tried to hide from him twice and a pair of moss green 70’s basketball shorts he ducked into a changing room.  
  
“You’re ridiculous Nick,” she said. Judy held up an obnoxiously skimpy crème and baby blue cocktail dress. “And what do we even wear for something like this? I’m taking into consideration your currently dressed as…” He opened the stall door and strode out proudly; she had to admit the mesh looked better on him now that ZPD training had filled out his chest a bit more, and he’d never shown more leg. “Some kind of new day-glo highlighter?”  
  
“Good one." He snorted dryly. "Don’t worry fluff, if need be I’ll call up some old vixens I used to know who ran a bordello; and relax, totally not what you think.” Nick smiled at the memory, before nodding kindly at the cheetah owner who was staring at his semi-nude torso. “Three nice old broads a block away who ran the only business they could; used to be tailors until they stopped getting business with time. My dad never went in or anything, but he pitied those ladies, and they always were real nice to me. It used to be a lot harder back then owning a shop as a pred, and I guess my I have a habit of shopping at smaller places like this.”  
  
Judy hugged him close, speaking low so as not to be heard. “Well maybe we should go a bit more upscale then. Bogo gave us some good parameters to work with, we could always go to Victoria Muskrat’s instead and I’ll try on some lacy items for you privately…”  
  
“I-I’ll go get changed and return these things.” His ears flicked excitedly, but she held onto his waistband as he attempted to leave.  
  
“Wait. Keep the shorts, they look good with the red of your tail.” She said with a wink, before giving him a kiss on the cheek and hopping off to take one final peek through the skimpier outfits as the owner shot him a smirk. Nick shrugged.  
  
“The basketball shorts then my good man, I’ll wear ‘em out; and whatever the lady desires from the ‘Torn Items: 2 Bucks each’ bin.” He quipped. Then clicked his claws together and watched Judy peer closely as a low cut top that would show her whole dewlap, what hinto of it there was anyway. “Also, unusual question here; how would you attempt to dress either of us as an, um, exotic dancer?”  
  
The owner stared at him as his kids swarmed about, filling boxes with still more clothes before speaking slowly. “Uhh, I dunno you have the right man. That said, we get a lot of weird stuff second-hand. It’s all in the back walk-in, I’ll unlock it.”  
  
Leading the two over to an unmarked door, the cheetah stepped inside and flicked on the lights. Racks suddenly came into view an assortment of costumes, dresses, tearaway-pants, and what looked like a latex suit with a muzzle that made Nick visibly blanch, all revealed. He looked at them with his hands on his hips.  
  
“Feel free to peek about; all this stuff is totally clean, but still exercise some judgement if you want to try on any of the more revealing items. You scent it, you buy it.” He said with a shrug, then walked out.  
  
“Thank you!” Nick said as the cat departed the hidden storeroom. “Huh, great guy. Wonder why this is so separate, except for the nightmare suit over… there…” His jaw slackened at Judy, who appeared before him in an amber colored top designed to look like it was made from hundreds of sequined autumnal leaves, the fur of her chest fluffed up and overflowing in it. Her toned belly showed off over what was essentially a brown loincloth, the fringe of fabric rippling over her powerful thighs.  
  
“Red Rocket has crash landed on a dangerous new planet where bunnies have evolved backwards, turning to Amazonian savages!” She decreed. Kicking off from the ground with powerful feet, she bowled into before Nick and pinned him before he could process any of it. “Where a fox is property, and owes something of his new, life-saving mistress…”  
  
“Judy, you scent it you buy it, remember? Uh, Judy?” His voice fell on deaf ears as her hands slid up the legs of his shorts.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
That night with two bags of clothes (the second courtesy of the promised VM trip) at the foot of her bed, Judy did a bit of background research on The Vines. Created soon after the Nighthowler Scandal, the place was actually a thriving discotheque until waning popularity forced a change to seedier pleasures. Now it advertised for pig mud-wrestling and served fermented fruits as happy hour snacks. She sighed and texted Nick to see his thoughts on the case.  
  
**< Find anything out about Vines?**  
  
**Asking around to associates, but no one wants to talk. Probably going to be out late. >**  
  
Clicking her phone locked with a paw, she huffed to herself and listened to Bucky and Pronk through the wall, acting their peculiar domestic bliss. Shaking her head, she returned to her computer and kept searching for anything that might hint at stranger fare going on within the confines of The Vines. Eventually Judy drifted to sleep in her chair as the night ran on, the site header still blinking the words “Live Dancing Mammals; All Sizes Accommodated!” as her head rested on the keyboard. She dreamed of the next day, of walking to the case when suddenly Bellweather appeared and shot Nick just as happened in the museum all those years ago. But this time, the savagery looked real, and there was a desperate sadness in Nick’s eyes as he advanced on her that made her heart form a lump in her throat. Fleeing, cowering in the grass, she felt the heat of a spotlight and realized she was dressed in the latex outfit that unsettled Nick with a pair of unknown paws sliding a blindfold over her eyes as a crowd jeered somewhere and the music played…  
  
“ _Youuuuu my_ , Long-eared girl.” Vole Morrison sang, and the bunny clicked the radio off deftly as she stretched, her back feeling tight from the strange bed she’d adopted. Checking her phone to no new information from Nick, she skipped to the door and grabbed her towel to head for the showers down the hall. Judy’s dream faded fast as she focused on the coming job to be done.  
  
~  
  
Nick sat with his phone in his paws, the two unread messages unheeded as he pondered what to tell Judy. This mission was different than any other, and he knew she must be placing some of the pieces into place. With a pad he deftly switched messages to Flash’s; his fast living style meant he’d definitely have the goods on The Vine, and probably be able to get them a better in than whatever these vice dorks were working. Plus it was always good to look organic when you come up out of nowhere on some kind of hustle. A pang of shame hit him as he realized he’d essentially fallen back into old ways of dishonesty, and he held his head in his paws as he thought about what they day held in store and whether or not that third message in his phone was going to make this easy or hard.  
Reading the text Flash sent him, his ears drooped.  
  
‘ _Hard._ ’ He decided, as he sent Flash a text of thanks. ‘ _Definitely shaping up to be a different kind of day._ ’  
  
**< Flash says Vine has a habit of doing some kind of "stage show." How much does being undercover extend to?**  
  
**Try everything. >**  
  
_Cute._ He thought with a wry smile, then his face turned serious as he opened his third message from inside the vice unit and began to read.

 

~|~


	2. Persicaria perfoliata

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ~Tonight: Judy and Nick go undercover at shady 'The Vines' nightclub, and attempt to uncover the secrets within.~

The morning progressed normally for Judy, more or less; heading into the precinct she kept an eye out for any word or sight of Nick as she made her way over to a rather disinterested looking stoat sitting behind a heavy set of iron bars in in evidence and stock. Her mouth curled into a grin as Judy approached and she called out dryly. “Well well, half of the dynamic-duo. Where’s my foxy boy? He usually comes down to see me and joke about dipping into the files.”

“I’m wondering that myself, Trish.” She said. Her paw unconsciously rubbed the pocket with her phone in it as her nose twitched in frustration. “He’ll likely stop in later for his kit. Anyway, did you get the call from Clawhauser?”

“Oh sure, I love that chatty cat. His gossip is all I live for down here, and he even sent me a doughnut, the sweetheart.” Trish said as she pulled up a clipboard and cleared her throat. “Back-up units 4, 5 & 7 have been placed within one block patrols of The Vines tonight, and plainclothes so as to avoid undue suspicion. Also issued, an Ear-Alert sticker, one fur darkening agent to change distinct markings and one rabbit-made pair of heels with hidden stiletto blade, tranq’d; but it’s probably better just to squeeze your ear for five seconds though and let the patrol roll over. And be safe out there! I dunno who’ll visit me otherwise.”

Judy inspected the blade; really more of a needle with a handle honestly. “Thanks," she chirped. "No weapon for Nick?”

Trish shook her head good-naturedly. “We, ah, found that Nick likely won’t encounter undue hostility." She continued as Judy cocked her head at her. "And anyways, he still has claws and jaws if he has the nerve to use ‘em.”

“Alright then.” The bunny said with uncertainty. They both knew his police training took him through predator CQC, but all the same Judy scrutinized her face, gleaning nothing. “Just make sure vice is ready for the call.”

The buzz of her phone in her pocket called her attentions, and she hefted the small box under an arm as she peered at the message from Nick.

**Vines seems to be trying dancers tonight, better get a move on Fluff >**

_Duty calls._ Judy thought grimly, before another messaged popped up.

**Also send me pics while you change >**

“Tell him only if he sends you his.” A voice gushed from behind her, and Judy realized Trish had craned her head through the bars to peer at her phone. She dismissively waved her paw as she hid it from sight.

“ _Tch_ , nosy rodent, this is for mission personnel only." She pointed accusingly. "And please, I get enough of that fox on the beat before I go home to him anyway.” Turning to leave with the box now moved to hide her hands, Judy brought her phone back up and clicked away at it.

**> YOU better hurry and get your gear. And send me a video of your routine for tonight first.**

 

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

 

As evening fell Judy let herself into the apartment she shared with Nick and clicked on the lights. The place was a lot less sparse now, perhaps even a bit cluttered if Nick's complaints were to be believed. A full length mirror hung near the back of her door aside a knick-knack and procedural memos coated desk, which appeared to bow slightly with some of the weightier books from the academy in Judy’s police nook. A gardening box outside held peonies, and hidden among them a few carrots that always made her think of home. More pictures hung from the walls in the living room; photographs displayed family visits, recounted arrests made and times spent at the ZPD, and a series of pictures showed her and Nick working and whiling away the time in equal measure. She looked at the latest one of the two of them in Tundratown on a day off, Nick jokingly tugging at her earwarmers while she wore his tail like a scarf. The shocked expression of a young bear cub behind them never failing to make her smirk.

 _Well I never would have thought I’d be with a shifty pred myself._ With a wry smile, Judy made for the bedroom and set the box down on the bed before taking out its contents of stickers, dye, shoes and steel. The creamy colored heels matched the soft white of her fur which she’d soon darken, but it was the slight indent in the heel of one that caught her eye, and there she slid the issued blade snugly into place. She had decided if security looked tight it’d be easy enough to ditch; besides, she’d proven herself plenty capable with enough sparring partners in the gym, Nick included. Turning to the closet, she pulled free what essentially amounted to a lacy pair of underwear, barely high enough to have a tailhole.

 _Sweet cheese and crackers, what was I thinking when we went shopping?_ The thought of going outside like this made her skin run hot, and biting her lip Judy dove into the closet to grab a negligee to slip on and cover herself a bit more. _‘Just until we make it into The Vines.’_

Stripping herself down, she took a deep breath as her fur decompressed from her tight outerwear. Carefully peeling and placing one of the clear stickers along the inside of her ear, she flipped open the jar of grey fur tone dye and began to apply it to her bared white chest. Her mind raced with thoughts of how best to try and insert herself and Nick into such unknown terrain, and questioned why they’d be put on this assignment in the first place as she strapped on her heels. She also wondered why this assignment seemed so last minute, so shoddy in nature. The buzzing of her phone grabbed her attention away, and she clicked her feet to the floor as she scanned the message from Nick.

**Waiting outside sweetheart, can’t believe you shorted me on those pics after my slick moves btw >**

She rolled her eyes and tapped a quick reply.

**< You know, I get distracted by the case we’re supposed to be solving. I’ll make it up to you later.**

Quickly making her way to the door, Judy opened it and strode out into the darkness, rounding a corner and taking the alleyway back to where Nick would be waiting. The streets were emptying under the last rays of the waning sun that peered between purpling clouds as the sound of a puttering engine caught her ear. Turning to look in a ramshackle old shed-garage, she failed to suppress a gasp as she spotted Nick sitting in a low orange sports car; the thin vulpine muzzle-styling of the hood almost as smug-looking as the man behind the wheel. Making her way over, she took her place in a bucket-seat styled a ruddier-reddish tinge beside him. Nick was dressed in a black pair of tight pants and that ridiculous pink mesh shirt with a pair of sunglasses on at night for slickness sake.

“So this is what you’ve been doing for the case? Buying that awful shirt and procuring this… Admittedly very nice car?” Judy said. He lowered his sunglasses and put a paw to his chin as Judy crossed her arms in front of her.

“Flash’s friend runs an auto shop, I asked to use it as a loaner for the case; it fits the profile we’re trying to style.” Nick said with a note of satisfaction. Giving her a quick kiss on the cheek, he teased, "Glad you think it's nice. And Carrots, you get grumpy when you’re nervous. Don’t be, you’re gorgeous and we’re gonna be fine; I’ll get us in.”

“You know a guy?” Judy said, poking him with an ear as he pulled into the alleyway and made for the main streets.

“Yeah, in a sense.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Nick refused to elaborate further during their drive to the rainforest district, in the face of furious questioning from Judy.

“C’mon, is it a friend of Finnick’s? Is it a former hustle?” She pestered, watching his face for any hint or change in expression.

“You’re getting warmer.” He said, pulling the car to a crawl as they approached the place at last; Judy stared out the window at the long shoe-box form of the building, thick kudzu vines trailing across its every wall. The glow of warmly-colored lights radiated from behind the frosted glass of the windows, and two intimidating looking rhino bouncers stood outside. Judy nervously checked the weapon stashed underpaw as Nick sighed and pulled into an open spot. “All is about to be revealed, one more hustle I thought I left behind. Don’t let it change your opinion of me too much Judy. Also, you’re gonna need a name.”

The sound of her own name made her ears stand to attention. “Nick, you know I love you, remember?" She strained to keep the concern from her voice. "And besides, I see criminals every day, whoever this guy is that you’re friends with can’t shock me too-“

“Ferrel Focks! Well I’ll be!” One of the rhinos at the entrance was eagerly waiving his hoof at their car, and Judy continued to stare at Nick as a huge grin slowly came to her face.

“Nicky.” She said sweetly as he left the car, and she gamely hopped out in pursuit as they closed in on the horned pair. “Who is, ahem, ‘Ferrel Focks’?”

“Scott! Davie! How’s tricks?” Nick said, ignoring her question as they came to the feet of the doormen.

“We figured you’d know Ferrel, we thought you were out there turning ‘em after you didn’t come back!” The one on the left said with a hearty chuckle, and Nick joined in gamely, though coming across a little forced to Judy.

“Heh. Well you know, I had to make some moves and shake things up like I do." He said with a newfound guile, and shook their massive hooves with both paws. "I was working on a dockside park thing, real entrepreneurial stuff. It fell through, and here I am, hoping to find myself in the good graces of this fine establishment.”

“With your moves Focks, we went further; we told management how you’re a gem, they’re hooking you up with a bachelorette party in two hours so go get yourself limbered up.” He replied. Then he cast an eye over Judy. “And we got your friend here a job on waitress duty until dead hours, she can work her way up. Chloe Cottontail, newcomer from a club out near Podunk, that’s you?”

“Naturally pard.” She smiled and batted her eyelashes, her voice acidic.

“Peachy, she’s looking forward to it.” Nick chimed, and he quickly led Judy into the raucous building before she could attempt to speak further. “Thanks guys! Tell the boss to give you a raise, eh?”

“Excuse me, but from the moves you sent me I really think maybe you should be the waitstaff and I should dance.” Judy hissed. Nick snickered, and she shot him a dirty look. “What, you’re that in demand that I should be sidelined?”

“I did get us in, didn’t I?” He had, and she marveled a bit at the scale of the place as the music blared; designed to accommodate animals of all sizes, the ceiling was incredibly high and studded with thick, dead vines of polished veneer that reached down to the floor and stages below. At the nearest one a graceful looking ibex dangled topless by her crossed legs as a set of wolf twins cackled and littered the floor beneath her with singles. Nearby in a massive booth an embarrassed and young looking lion in a party hat that read ‘LEGAL’ stared slack-jawed at a small ocelot girl giving him a lap dance, as who looked to be his father roared in laughter and downed his drink. Nick noticed the trepidation on her face, and gave her a nudge and a wink.

“This is easy work babe, trust me. They don’t even have you dancing until late, so you’ll have a bit more privacy.” Nick whispered. Her trepidation turned to a grimace as she thought of being placed into the B-leagues yet again.

“Ah, there’s that lovely smile!" Nick said, giving her a pat on the tush. "I’m going to pop back to the lounge if I still remember where it is and scope things out before the group arrives. You check in at the bar, and I’ll also work on getting you a routine if it means that much to you, getting to shake that cute little tail up on stage-“

A sharper elbow than he usually got dug into his ribs and cut him off abruptly, Judy striding away in her thin garments as Nick rubbed his side. “Sheesh, mixed signals here!”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Judy quickly made for the bar, her anger turning to slight amusement as she realized she’d ditched one fox for another; this one hopefully less troublesome. “Ah, excuse me, I’m Chloe?” She said quickly. She had almost stumbled on her alias, and steeled herself mentally to focus on the case at hand.

“Ah, yeah, they told me you’d be showing up.” The grey furred bartender said with a sleepy grin. “J. Just the letter, I’m not super formal. Oh, just a sec.” He moved along the bar, a shelf-like platform making up the difference to the floor. Atop the bar was stationed a small booth packed with a rowdy crew of rats, swilling drinks and laughing amicably as a cute fieldmouse girl in just bikini briefs cleared their table.

“Alright gents.” He sighed. Pulling a tap behind the counter and filling a shot glass with a foamy amber mead, he set it on the mini booth and gave them clean thimbles. “50 cents, if you please.”

“Heh! Here lad.” One rat said, picking up the tab to cheers from his friends. Reaching into a rucksack with a shaky hand, he rolled out three coins. “Keep the change!”

“Thank you sir, have a comfortable stay.” The grey fox burbled. He bowed away, and slipping two of the coins in the register he leaned on the counter and smiled. “Ah, so, you’re our new waitress then, saw you come in with Ferrel. You know, it’s funny, I got a bunny girlfriend myself.” He pensively poured a large pint of dark amber liquid from the tap as a squirrel took an unoccupied seat and slid it down the bar, the squirrel catching it like a seasoned pro. “I was thinkn’ maybe it was those hero cops, but if you and Ferrel been up to what I heard in Las Volegas, then I bet it was your private show that did it.”

“Hah, yeah,” Judy said. She was both incensed and impressed at the story Nick had selected, nervously toying with an ear before remembering her sticker. “Wild times on the strip, but there’s nowhere quite like Zootopia.”

“Yeah, but we gotta cut the chat; my boss say I fraternize too much.” He said with a shrug. “Nothing wrong with being friendly. But uh…” He gestured at her negligee, and her cheeks reddened as the realization came to her that all the other “eye-candy” workers were topless. She noticed the eyes of those at the bar turning eagerly toward her, unusually bright under the neon lights. Her heart raced, and she bit her lip as she reached for the hem of her negligee.

She shivered a little, trying to figure out how best to do this and settling on slowly, for the crowd. Gently pulling the hem upward and revealing her silky undergarment, she received a wolf-whistle from the nearby squirrel already halfway into his pint. Struggling not to shiver from the mix of cold air and exposure, she slipped it off and tossed it behind the bar, her ears flipped back and low with paws clasped tightly in front of her. The crowd at the bar cheered appreciatively, and she felt her skin flush hot as her heart raced. The fox at the bar gave a short wolf-whistle and called out. “Alright guys, remember to tip the lady as well.”

“Nice by the way with the coy act.” J said. He winked at her while she stashed the item of clothing behind the bar. “Preds especially tend to eat that up from cute little bunnies like you.”

Judy laughed meekly as she picked up her tray for the evening, her nerves still strung tight and the pang of the C-word not helping. “Yeah, I’m a regular cutie. What’s the first order?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The staff couldn’t exactly complain; Judy was a drink serving machine, sure-footedly sliding around (and sometimes under the larger) patrons with the tray immaculately balanced on an otherwise fur-slick paw. The adrenaline and anxious energy spurred her to keep moving, trying not to think about the many curious eyes panning over her dyed fur as she distributed the drinks rapidly to the increasingly rowdier customers. The debauchery and noise surrounding Judy had her more on alert than she’d otherwise care to be, forced to hold her ears low against the pounding beat from the speakers and more than once having to hastily swat away an over-eager patron’s paw. Returning to the bar with a stacked tray of empty glasses, she handed it off to J and he nervously eyed it before beginning to disassemble it.

“Er, Coy Chloe, maybe cool it on the speed of delivery a bit.” He said, sliding mugs into the sink.

“Why? Isn’t that the whole gig?” Judy replied, breathless. The grey fox flicked his eyes to hers and then behind her, causing her to turn. One of the rhino bouncers was using his shirt as a bowl for a group of ferrets drunkenly brawling as he carried them to the exit; a less than enthused looking male donkey danced for a yowling group of rather touchy-feely big cats, and the line for the bathroom ran out the door. “Hmm. Okay, you may have a point.”

“Eh, we’ve seen worse.” He shrugged again. “Anyways, we got an order for the back VIP room that was just phoned in, we’re serving everyone but the blushing bride to be, she’s apparently plastered, and ungulates just got so you’re on rodents, order of 14.”

“Got it.” She said gamely. Judy felt herself relax a little; that was Nick’s party, maybe he’d gleaned something new for the case. She stuck her ears beneath the tray and flipped it, landing it handily on her paw and giving it a little spin as the same drunkard squirrel from earlier started to applaud after a slight delay. Judy felt a thrill this time, and was unsure if it was the prospect of progress or the recognition she was getting. “Load ‘em up.”

J poured several glasses of house special 9 Tails Wine which Judy peered at curiously before looking back to the frenzied crowd, and mixed a few delicate looking cocktails before balancing her tray with practiced ease. “There you go," he said with a toothy grin. "Hop to it Cottontail.”

She nearly saluted before making her way evenly through the chaos of the floor, eyes darting to the various other employees before dipping a paw into one of the specials with a curiously speckled surface. Sucking the liquid from her fur, she tasted the warm fruity flavor of grapes, the sting of ethanol, and a bitter taste she couldn’t yet place. Lazily making her way toward the back hallway where a set of massive ebony double doors existed, (with further inlaid doors for various animals) Judy pondered the possible culprits for the outrageous behavior on the main floor. Making up to a lion in a sharp suit on security detail, she felt herself get a little flustered once more as he swept her form with his eyes, but crinkled her nose as she pushed those thoughts back. _It’s all for the case._ she told herself as the lion piped up with a deep baritone. “Lookin’ cute there longears, I thought you were a curious hire at first, but it works.”

“Thanks for being so non-patronizing.” She fired back. Judy sneered inwardly at being called cute again, but felt her stomach tense as the lion inspected her once more, a little more stringently before allowing her inside. Taking a tentative step into the doorframe, she struggled to accept the visual before her.

The room was tiled a dark black, stone walls around the edges studded with green moss. Silky white curtains draped from the ceiling and the same type of vine as before reaching down to a circular table in the center that came in two tiers. The lower with a set of stairs for the smaller customers and the same mini-booths as before set up for some prairie dogs who were cackling and nudging each other expectantly. Surrounding were stools of various heights which were occupied by a number of ungulates, felines, and the elephant of the evening herself; and atop the second tier of the table before her stood Nick, pulling a pair of tear-away pants from his body as the party screamed in delight.

Turning around, he grabbed the pole tightly in his pads before inverting himself, cords of muscle showing his definition from the ZPD training. _No wonder he was in good enough shape for the academy._

Wrapping his tail and legs around the smooth vine as well, he let go with his forepaws and held them out to the pachyderm. The crowd went wild as she extended her trunk, and he grabbed it in his paws before flipping down to his feet, now using her trunk like a second pole as Nick swished his hips back and forth. With his right limbs he went into a swing, tickling her armored skin with his tail like a brush and Judy saw him almost lose his grip glimpsing her smirking face. She remembered she was on duty and made for the table with her drinks, eyes flicking to Nick and his routine whenever possible. If anything, it seemed like her appearance spurred him on, and her heart fluttered as he flashed some teeth and made a giddy looking meerkat girl swoon.

 _Show-off._ Shaking out her ears, she meekly climbed the stairs onto the table and began setting down drinks on the mini tables, deciding there was no way to communicate with her performing partner. _Looks like I’ll be the one to canvass the place._

Quickly serving the rest of her drinks, Judy shot one last look back at Nick, now completely ensconced in the trunk of the intoxicated elephant before making her exit back to the hallway. The lion from before now nowhere to be seen, she peered around cautiously to double check as she clicked the door closed behind her. Sprightly hopping her way back to the main floor, Judy found herself face to face with a male badger clad in a sequined thong, and struggled to maintain eye contact as he fanned himself with his tray. “God, crazy night huh? We really need to start implementing a drink limit or something, at least with the special.” Her ears perked, and he gave a tired grin. “I see we’re of two mind here. Anyways, listen, we had a dancer call in sick for the side stage, they want you on in five.”

“Yeah, I- wait, already?” She choked out. He nodded, and Judy felt her blood run cold. “Of course, absolutely! Just, uh, queue up my music, and of course I should return my tray first but-“

Holding out a paw, she reluctantly gave him the tray. “Ah, thanks." She offered lamely. "So, side stage then, right.”  
  
Acutely aware of her sparse outfit, Judy felt a weird déjà vu as she made for the stage, the stress palpable in her stomach as the patrons increasingly turned to watch her approach. It was similar to the feeling she had telling her parents she was leaving Bunnyburrow, or when she took the ZPD entrance exam. She could either let her fear freeze her in place, or use it as fuel to continue forward, and Judy wasn’t the type to stagnate. Still, her brain felt hot like it was frying itself in embarrassment as she mounted the stairs towards the circular platform to the noise of the crowd and the opening bars of _Pull Over (That Ass is Too Fat)_ by Troughna. Her eyes flicked nervously among the sea of faces, and putting her hands to the vine before her Judy’s thoughts returned to Nick and the fact that she never even sent him her dance routine that day.

 _Just make this for Nick…_ Her heart soared in her chest; she felt love for her partner consume her thoughts and Judy let herself zone out as she slid her paws down the pole, arching her back and shaking her ass in time to the beat. Slipping into fantasy, she imagined she was only dancing for Nick as she wrapped her legs and ears around the pole before executing a gracious spin. Landing in a crouched pose, Judy splayed her legs out wide and let the vine press close to her body, parallel to her spine. Judy’s eyes opened, and for a time her fantasy and reality blurred together, and she envisioned herself twirling for a crowd of whistling, howling Nicks in various states of dress. Flagging her tail to the side as she sashayed about she earned a howl of lust from a shaggy looking and wolfier featured Nick and felt… good. Judy hadn’t played to a crowd since the play she was in year ago, and this certainly wasn’t that; it was more like ZPD academy sparring, using her body and skill in a new kind of exhilarating exhibition.  
Judy inverted herself on the pole as Nick had done earlier, her powerful feel hooking in place as she unfurled herself like a ribbon to a sea of applause and cheers; with a grin and eyes that sparkled like fire under the stage lights, she reveled in the thrill of dancing for her imagined sea of red fur.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

When Judy stepped down from the stage an hour later, a sheen of sweat matted her fur and she was sent to a small changing room squirreled away past the restrooms, and Judy took a moment to sit on a bench by a set of lockers and breathe.

 _Okay, wow, now that was an experience._ Her mind sparked. _The drink! Right. Okay, get back and work the angles with J after I wash up._ Judy peered about once more nervously before shedding her only item of clothing and stepping under the cool water she ran. Being careful to keep her stickered ear dry and not rub her dyed areas too vigorously, Judy washed up and took a second to let the cooling water run down her head, feeling the water gaining in temperature the longer it ran over her skin. Her mouth felt dry, and she turned her face upward before gulping greedily at the running water. _Good god, no wonder there were so many hospitalizations. They’re burning up and dehydrating themselves._

Her head still buzzed with speedy pleasure, and she mentally rotated between known illegal stimulants while toweling off, blotting carefully at her chest to keep from lightening it unduly. Tossing the towel in an unlocked locker, she departed for the main floor once more. Opening the door to the bathroom hallway, she made her way past a noisy gaggle of gossiping antelopes and towards the heavy thrum of activity on the floor. In her brief absence the atmosphere grew as placid as a hyped up bunch of oversexed animals could get, and Judy smiled at the idea she might have worked top billing for the evening; then spotting Nick, she smiled a little wider. He looked bedraggled as he talked to J, and as she got closer she saw that his mesh shirt had more than a few tears in it.

“-thank _god_ , if I didn’t get that break I was sure she was gonna tear my tail off. What the fuck is going on here anymore man?” He shouted and pulled at the hideous lime green mesh. “Look at this!”

“Ahem. Ferrel?” Judy calmly interjected. She nudged him, bouncing on her toes a bit to the beat as she turned to J. “It’s alright, he just needs to cool off a bit.”

J nodded, tossing her the negligee from behind the bar. “Yeah, feel free to take five." He said, grabbing a washed glass to towel off. "We’re mandated breaks, even though that floor manager lion is a real stingy bastard with ‘em. I’ll cover for you two if he wants to complain.”

Judy blew him a kiss as she led Nick away by the hand. “Thanks cutie.”

J pantomimed catching it then snapping his fingers as they stepped aside a moment into the cold night air. Moving around the corner and away from the parking lot, they made it just into shadow before Nick spun around and sputtered. “Thanks cutie?! I think- woah. Carrots, your eyes are huge.”

“Are they?” She said worriedly. Nick pulled her over to one of the tinted windows of the vines, and as the lights behind it died she caught sight of a set of massive black pupils dominating her irises. “Oh, oh shit. N-Ferrel, I dipped my paw into one of the house specials, I think they’re putting something else in the batch.”

“You put your paw in it? Oh, great, which one?” Nick pulled her close and sucked on her paws.

“Dumb fox, get off me!” She couldn’t help but giggle a little at how his teeth tickled her skin and felt the excitement she felt dancing earlier well up in her again. “Geez, what the hell?”

“Khat.” He said, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “Stimulant that used to be pretty popular in the savannah district. Urgh, and strong too.”

“ _Catha edulis_ , oh damn!” She could kiss him, putting a taste to a name that otherwise hadn't occurred to her. She chucked him on the shoulder, a litter harder than she looked to. “Oops, sorry, lots of energy. How did you know?”

“Haven’t I told you I know everybody?” He said smirking. Nudging her, they made for the entrance to The Vines once more. “Camel friend of mine used to deal for Kozlov before Kozzie got out of the drug business. I may have helped him hawk some wares once or twice, and, er, tested some product. Anyway, we need a glass, or a sample as evidence. They could ditch it somehow if we have patrol come.”

“Gotcha, being on bar that shouldn't be much of an issue.” She said. Nearing the door, she grabbed his paw and felt him squeeze it in return. “Now, I’ll get that sample. You still on dancing duty?”

“Yeah, however they actually have me switching off with this poor kangaroo who the group is probably now molesting. After your drink delivery they got a little pawsy. And, uh, clawsy.” He said, shaking his head. “Anyway, I’m supposed to be over of stage two for the late hours. Think you can get that drink?”

“I’m on it already. Why do you think I’m buttering up J?” She replied. They made their way back into the bustling nightclub, and Nick gave her a grin as he slunk away to dance. Moving her way back to the bar, she grabbed her tray and spun it in front of J. “Alright! What’s next on the drink orders?”

“Nothing right now.” J lit a cigarette for a droopy eyed jaguar who nodded in thanks. “Most of the lighter creatures got their fill pretty early this evening with you busting out the orders like you did. But hey, grab a seat.”

Judy spiritedly hopped up onto the velvet cushioned barstool nearest the register, next to the now softly dozing squirrel from before; before him set various glasses, including a tall wine goblet she fixated on.

“Yeah, looks like a lot of booze flowed freely tonight. And hey, it looks like I get the prime seating too." She trailed a claw around the ruim of a glass. "You said you’ve got a bunny girlfriend, before?”

“Hah! Keen memory Cottontail." He eyed her with a bit more of a leer now, and Judy wished she was a bit more clothed again. "Yeah, she’s a sweetheart, you remind me quite a lot of her. Not to imply anything about rabbits being the same, or nothing. I dunno, I’m babbling.” He swiped a paw over his face in embarrassment.

“You’re fine.” She said, and tucked an ear gently under her chin. “Say, do you think I could get a glass of water?”

“Yeah!” J said. He stepped over to the tap, and Judy slid the wine glass off the bar, dropping and catching it smartly between her feet. She took off her negligee and wrapped the glass in it, before moving to tuck it behind the bar as before. “Hey, glad to see you’re less shy to show off than before.”

“You mean I wasn’t before?” Judy offered. He gave a short bark of laughter that unnerved her.

“Like I was saying, you remind me of my girlfriend a little. You don’t really seem the type is all, to be in a place like this.” He shrugged. “I just make the drinks though. Anyway, got a drink order that just came in, one house special wine for a guy to the back left.”

 _Damn, I could have just dunked my paw in this one._ Instead she nodded and grinned, allowing J to load up the large single glass before making her way towards the indicated patron. The lights had dimmed as the evening ran on, and the mood had definitely shifted towards a lazier kind of hedonism. She made her way past a bull with a sleepy grin on his face getting a dance from a French cow, and was stepping her way past the back stage when she felt a padded paw tightly clamp around her ears. “Hello.”

_One._

Judy began to count in her head, feeling the sticker in her ear squeezed tight in his fist while her feet left the ground, drink spilling over her as she dropped her tray in shock.

_Two._

Judy grabbed his wrist, handing dead-armed as she hurtled upwards to meet his gaze and his other paw closing tight around her throat. “J saw you on the news.”

_Three._

Judy’s eyes went wide as he snarled in her face. “Officer.”

_Four._

Kicking her heel up, she grabbed at the stiletto lodged in her heel and swung, nicking his ear as he leaned his head out of the way. He laughed with derision. “Hmph. Not even a vital hit from Zeepedepsfinest…”

"Five." Judy hoarsely said as she felt his grip weaken, and he fell to the floor, a bloody ear pumping tranquilizer through his veins. Coughing, Judy crawled away to sit against the wall. Her heart thudded darkly, and she turned her head to look once more at Nick as he danced; Judy floated off into shallow sleep as she waited for the alert from her sticker to bring the hammer of justice down on The Vines for good.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Judy awoke, she was wrapped in a ZPD jacket in the passenger seat of the convertible from before. A silent Nick sat behind the wheel of the parked car, only turning to give her a smile. “Hey supercop, thanks for taking one for the team. Good work out there.”

“Thanks,” she yawned, “though I have to say I have no idea how those regulars did it. I’m exhausted after that.”

“The regulars didn’t get their buzz and then have to dance for a bunch of mooks and get assaulted by a lion after stashing our evidence.” Nick said with bitter inflection.

“Yeah," Judy said tiredly. She smirked, then it faded away. “Hey Nick. What’s it like dancing for you?”

“Oh? Well, I mean, I used to hate it.” He said quietly, and scratched the back of his head. “I left for a reason. Many, actually. But I dunno, this time I just chose to think of you and-“

"Thinks clicked?" She interrupted him and cut him off with a deep kiss. “Never mind, I don’t know why I even thought I needed assurance. Now, carry me inside, I have one more item I need to strip off for an audience.” Nick gave a wry laugh and scooped her up before carrying her inside.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just an hour before, Nick stood riverside at a rest stop in the Rainforest District, peering around before locating an old looking bathroom. Stepping inside, he went into the third stall, and took a cell phone from the toilet paper dispenser. A single number was on the contact list. Selecting it, he made the call and stepped outside.

 _“Hello?”_ A feminine voice took the line, and Nick cleared his throat.

“It’s me. There won’t be any felines at the vine anymore, or any other animal.” Nick said in a hushed voice. He heard a soft laugh from the other line. “And next time toss vice a better hint. A bordello?”

“Cute, but don’t think that allows you to question our judgement. We appreciate your efforts, and keep up the good work. Remember, you’re doing the right thing." She said demurely. "We all have vested interests to protect.” The line clicked, and he wrinkled his snout before pounding the cheap cell phone against the wall in rage.

“Right thing. Fuck you!” He yowled. Nick hurled it into a swelling river, and a sudden downpour appeared on the horizon. He turned to look at Judy, asleep as she was when he found her and wrapped her up. With a sigh he strode towards the car as the dawning sun made the newly falling rain glow like fire.


	3. Cyperus papyrus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, sorry for the false start before. AO3 ate my edits and I got super frustrated because I had added some parts I felt real good about and lost that. It's pretty much restored it its entirety now though, and I'm both happy with where it's going and how this chapter came out! Shoutout to Mordecai for editing this bad boy and helping to set me on the path to better writing habits, check out his fic here for some Nick and Judy Drama-comedy fun! (https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11921425/1/Smooth-Operator) And also thanks to everyone who motivated me to keep at it with writing, and you, the reader! I do it all for you.

Judy flew through the air before landing down with a soft thump, the bed creaking beneath her. Nick soon followed, collapsing on the bed aside her. 

“Ugh, finally” he said. Nick rolled onto his side and curled himself around his buck-toothed companion, tickling the backs of her ears with the tip of his tail. His paws rifled across her bare body, their clothes strewn across the floor haphazardly ever since they got home. He sighed contentedly, enjoying the feeling of her giggling against his chest fur. 

 

She pressed her nose deep into his coat, inhaling deeply, as if taking a deep drink of water. Nick reeked of cheap alcohol, wood polish, and the strange scents of other animals. Her mind still buzzing with hints of the amphetamines, Judy swam in pheromonal bliss as she rubbed his fur with her chin. 

“Now I’ve got you all to myself,” she cooed, wrapping her arms around him. He groaned in mock protest, but Judy wasn’t fooled; she could feel his heartbeat quicken, thudding like the bass of the club against her ears. With a grin, she gently bit his shoulder. He responded in kind, nuzzling her cheek momentarily before giving her an experimental nip. Nick felt a velvety paw close around his muzzle. “Relax babe. Let me be the predator tonight,” Judy said, a devious smile playing about her lips.

“You sure Carrots? It’s been a long night…” he trailed off. His voice came through muffled and halted through her grasp. Narrowing her eyes, Judy smirked in silent reply and pulled his face in for a kiss. Loosening her hold, he parted his jaws just enough to allow her eager little tongue to meet his own. Her scent, touch, and taste all nourished him, and he uttered a submissive whine as he gave himself over to her.

“Alright, officer, whatever you say,” he replied, speaking a little more freely through her digits. Nick slid slid back into his smug, hustler demeanor with ease; he didn’t do it often, but when he did it was because he knew how much it riled her up. ”If you think you’re up to the task of taking in a hardened criminal, that is.”

 

“Oh I know I can.” She said, already rocking her hips in anticipation. “Remember our sparring practices?”

 

Nick grinned through her paw at the memories before closing his eyes and inhaling deeply. He thought she smelled like wood polish and bitter drug residues, with hints of anxious sweat and growing arousal that ebbed and flowed like a tide. Judy slowly slid down his torso, little rabbit claws scratching his belly. He gulped, peering down to see Judy toying around his sheath with her tongue, her cute buck teeth gleaming as she smiled back at him. Nick let out an appreciative whistle at the sight. The whistle shifted into a moan of delight as Judy winked at him, drawing him into her mouth with a noisy slurp. Electric tingles of pleasure ran through his body as she tended to his stiffening fox cock; Judy eyed his growing knot with a mixture of desire and determination.

Judy looked up to meet his gaze; Nick struggled not to groan as he watched her pull him into her maw with unbridled enjoyment. Her nose twitched wildly as she neared his swelling base and the sweat slicked fur of his tuft-like treasure trail. 

 

Nick felt Judy grab his paw and place it atop her head. Nick gladly obliged, taking her ears loosely in his grasp. Nick barely had his paw in place before Judy began working her head lower and lower on his cock. Taking his tip into her throat, Nick lifted her free and no sooner had she caught her breath then she hungrily took him deep enough to playfully kiss his knot. Judy was too engaged for Nick to handle much more of her attentions, and as she neared the base Nick held her firmly in place, gritting his teeth in ecstasy until he felt her give his leg a squeeze. He waited an extra second before pulling her free, a thin trail of saliva still connecting her open mouth to his cock. Nick leered at her with rising lust, and Judy gasped for breath, her eyes bright and hungry and pupils still set wide. Nick released her ears and whined happily, Judy giving his shaft a gentle squeeze with a precum-slicked paw before sliding it down below the knot she’d worked free.

“Already?” she said, her tongue lapping at his shaft. Air hissed between Nick’s teeth as she teased him with a paw, tiny points of fur rifling over his exposed flesh that flooded his senses as her paw began to move faster. Suckling his pulsing tip, Judy felt him jolt beneath her as she gave the bulb the lightest of tugs, and was soon rewarded with an impassioned whine from Nick and hot fox cum flooding her mouth. He gripped the sheets tight enough for his claws to tear holes as she teased his knot with the fluffy fur of her paw, keeping him at her mercy and tormenting him through his orgasm. Nick shivered with each jet of cum she greedily swallowed. Trying to speak, he could only manage a pleasured grunt she pulled back and opened her mouth, letting the last of it spray onto her tongue before swallowing and coyly sucking a sticky paw. She wiped her whiskers and licked up the last remaining drops from her lips before resting her head on his thigh, watching the rapid rise and fall of his chest.

Nick felt her paws close on his bicep. “Wow. Give me a second Carrots and I’ll, I’ll uh…” he mumbled, still struggling to find speech.

He had to hold back a wince as Judy’s grasp on him tightened. She slid herself up his body until their hips met and seated herself atop him. She’d waited just until his cock had retreated, when only a slick red tip was left poking out. She egged him on with a few swipes of her fluffy tail, keeping Nick pinned with admittedly little resistance. Judy savored every little flash of pleasure and tender glance he gave away, seeing beyond the his hustler demeanor and to the willing and vulnerable fox she’d fallen for on the gondola. Judy leaned forward to bury her nose in his fur once more, trying not to drool on him as she huffed deep breaths from his coat, his taste still fresh in her mind. She bucked her hips against his cum-slicked sheath, gasping as she felt the retreating tip swell once more and push against her mound.

“A-ah! Really living up to the rabbit stereotype tonight, huh Carrots?” he chuckled. She lightly cuffed his ears with a paw, earning a smirk from him. His expression soon glazed over as Judy ground her hips in wide circles, working him deeper inside with each passing moment. His paws moved to her thighs, and slid upwards to grasp her hips. “If you’re really that determined, I’ll tie you tonight, Fluff. C'mere.”

Judy threw her head back and squealed as Nick took her body in his grasp and began to bounce her on his lap with growing intensity. Her vocal squeaks of pleasure stretched together into a long moan, broken only by gasps for breath. She felt his claws lightly dig into her thighs, points of pleasurable pressure that made her heart skip a beat. Nick’s vulpine cock was still expanding, impossibly, Judy thought, as she did every time she asked him to knot her. 

 

She slid shaking paw slid between her legs, and Judy’s eyes turned raptly on Nick’s face, his teeth bared in feral lust. Didn’t often play up his predatory nature except for her, And it still thrilled Judy to some primitive part of her mind. The sense of flirting at the edge of danger propelled her, and she craned her neck close to scrape against his bared canines. Feeding off each other’s primal need, the bedsprings beneath them groaned in chorus to the restrained growl welling in Nick’s throat, and needy panting of Judy as she felt his knot thicken and her voice catch in her throat.

Her small form went limp in his grasp, caught in the grip of her dawning orgasm and her paw frantically working between her legs as the tie finally took. Sensing Judy had reached her limit, Nick slid his hands up her waist and gave her body a gentle tug, locking his hardened knot into place as her legs quivered and she breathed his name in a quaking whisper. Falling forward onto his chest, a throaty rumble of delight from Nick buzzed in her head as she felt him come in her for the second time that night. Bombarded with ecstasy like a hedonistic heartbeat, she clutched at Nick, her lifeline to reality as he emptied himself into his musk-dazed companion. Each twitch of his cock earned another spasm from her, and they clung to each other as they rode out their shared climax. Nick’s tail moved to align with her spine, becoming a fluffy blanket to keep her warm as they basked in each other’s presence and their orgasmic bliss. Coming down from her previous high, Judy tilted her head back to enjoy her favorite view.

Foxes cum for quite a while, and Judy loved to watch Nick’s expression as she teased him throughout his finish. Pushing herself up and arching her back, she wiggled her hips, and was rewarded with a goofy grin from her fox. His flat tongue lolled to the side, his breath running hot against her ears. Judy’s paws ran across his tensing core as he finished filling her with his seed, some of which was now leaking out from around his twitching knot. Judy rubbed her chin under his neck once more as Nick returned to his senses, pink nose twitching and riffling through his coat. She could smell her mark on him and cuddled up close, basking in their intertwined scents and enjoying feeling full and warm. She pulled his tail over her like a blanket as she waited for him to ebb. Her heartbeat slowed from its typical flutter, and she nestled herself against Nick’s chest, ensconced in his fur.

“Mm, that was just what I needed,” Judy sighed. She pinched at a tuft of fur near his collarbone dreamily. “Remember the first time we locked in like this?”

“And you were afraid we’d have to go to the hospital to be freed?” he laughed She felt him quake beneath her. “Yeah, you constantly tugging and trying to pull away didn’t help matters, either.”

“Something like this?” She chirped. Inch by inch she worked herself up and down his body, rubbing his tensed legs with her paws. Her powerful legs squeezed his hips, and she milked his cock for anything else she could get. Her skin flushed with heat again as Nick nibbled the corner of one of her ears. His cock refused to go down, and was still stoppered tightly inside her. “Hmph, and you jostling and carrying me around the apartment did?” she asked, in mock accusation. “At least now I have a handle on how to call the sho- Oh!” Nick bumped her with his hips, working his knot a little deeper.

“Cease, officer,” Nick said, wrapping his arms around her to hold her still. His claws and pads nimbly played with the base of her tail as he craned down to lick her nose. “You do wanna be free by morning, don’t you?”

“With all the paperwork we have due?” She said. Judy squeezed with her legs and worked his knot a little deeper as Nick thrashed his tail against her back playfully. She tilted her head back to let his brush-like appendage trail between her sensitive ears, making her giggle at the way it tickled. “Fat chance, I’ll keep you here through tomorrow night instead.”

“Hmm, sounds like a plan, Carrots,” Nick said. “We can just call in sick. Or maybe I’ll just wear you to the office."

Nick’s paws had moved to rest at the small of her back, tapping a soft beat with his pads. “Though once my arms get tired, I might have to drag you around.”

“That could be fun,” she said, grabbing onto his shoulders for support. Judy swiveled her hips more vigorously than she planned, and gasped as she felt her lover slip free with a gush of cum. “Damn, I’m gonna have to file that incident report tomorrow after all.”

“Mmhmm,” he said. Nick rolled onto his side, and Judy turned over to curled herself in to spoon, Nick’s long snout resting atop her head.. Nick chuckled and scooted the two of them over on the bed. “And you broke the tie, so it looks like you get to sleep in the wet spot. Life is hard, Fluff, get used to it.”

She rolled her eyes and dusted her tail against his slightly sticky fur, Nick giving her body a squeeze in reply. “I maintain it was your fault as much as mine.” she said, leaning back into his embrace. “And life is a little less hard with someone looking out for you. I love you, Nick.”

She smiled as his cold nose pressed against her cheek, and looked up with waiting lips for a gentle, whiskery kiss. “I love you too, Judy. Goodnight.”

His arms wrapped around her chest, and he lay awake a little while longer with lips pressed to the top of her head. Nick felt her go limp against him as she drifted off, and finally let his own tired eyes close.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nick collapsed into wakefulness like a cold bath, shutting his eyes tightly as the last remnants of sleep slipped away. His eyes snapped open to stare at the ceiling before he shifted to find the bed empty beside him in the pink morning light. Dozily he rubbed at his eyes, trying to remember his dream and what it had been that propelled him toward consciousness. His ears pricked up, scanning for a hint of Judy’s presence, but the humid air buzzed thickly with the twin rumbles of rain on the window and the chug of the coffeemaker. Nick lay back in bed and stretched, his nose twitching at the fragrant scent of coffee and detecting a faint salty tang that made his heart beat a little faster. He rolled over and looked to her empty spot on the bed once more, the static air feeling now oppressive.

“Carrots?” he called out. “You must be making some strong…” His voice caught in his throat when he noticed Judy’s nightstand had been tipped over. A small streak of blood stained one of the legs, and Nick’s voice fell to a whisper. “Coffee?”

Lightly stepping from the bed, Nick assumed a supine stance, prowling low on all fours and tasting the air with open jaws. The metal scent of blood was strong, but it also had to be Judy’s; the few grey hairs stuck to the wood gave it away. The smell of club patrons hung around the clothes on the floor, and Nick struggled to determine if any of the scents were fresh. Prowling from the room, he tried to shut out the blood rushing in his ears and heard a muffled hiss.

“Judy?” he hissed down the hall. He turned towards the bathroom door, the soft gurgle of draining water and the hiss of the shower insistent behind the oak. He knocked to no response, and pressed his belly to the floor as he peered under the door saw only darkness. He felt his breath catch in his nose and touched a pad to it, peeling away sticky blood that had dripped onto the wood. Standing up and readying himself, Nick pulled the door open and flicked on the lights in one fluid motion, scanning the scene before him intently as a deep groan resounded from the bathtub.

“Ugh, please don't,” Judy said. She sat in the tub, warm water from the shower pouring over her bowed head. A pair of soaked ears flopped down over her eyes. “Darkness now, please.”

“Oh! Shit, sorry, Fluff,” he replied. Nick quickly flicked the switch again to a grunt of approval and stepped out of the bathroom. He closed the door behind him with a click. A giggle caught in his throat before bubbling free, high laughter tumbling forth from him that he attempted to smother with his paws.

_ Judy’d put up a bigger struggle than that, moron. Christ, she felled a grown lion the other night.  _ he thought _. _ Nick wiped the tears from his eyes and choked back his chuckling as another groan resounded from behind him. Padding back to the bedroom while still snickering softly, he grabbed the pink mesh shirt on the ground and wiped it over the table leg, resetting it next to Judy’s pillow. Dabbing occasionally at the floor as he made for the kitchen, Nick moved to the coffeemaker and clutched the counter as he took a series of deep breaths. “You’re cracking up already? Christ Nick, pull it in,” he muttered to himself.

Behind closed eyes he saw green walls with green plants adorning it, the pattern precise and calculated in its chaos. The plants darkened like the vines of the club before turning the color of pitch, spiderwebs spreading across the wall and threatening to envelop him in the dark. Clearing his throat and rubbing his tired eyes, Nick poured a cup of carrot cake coffee and threw two sugars into it. Swirling the black beverage in his cup, he looked once more into the darkness. This time, he saw his reflection.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Judy rested her head against the cool glass of the car window. Beads of rain slid down the outside and occasionally she watched them fall through heavily-lidded eyes. She felt drained, and sipped delicately at the coffee she’d brought along with to chase away her lethargy.

“Got a taste for stimulants now, huh Hopps?” Nick smirked, and Judy’s head echoed with a dull thud at his words. She took another sip of the hot beverage, shivering as the ache in her bones began to recede.

“Ugh, only the ones I know I can handle,” she replied, her voice low. She slouched back into the bucket seat, adjusting the facets of her uniform. “I have no idea how those animals could come back to that stuff night after night.”

“Hey, you gotta practice to get good at something,” he shrugged. “Back in its heyday, and before the fuzz, ah, we started to crack down on things, Finnick and I used to get kittied up and roll around to the pred bars. Occasionally.”

“Mm, when savage predators still hunted meek prey?” she snorted. Nick flicked the wheel and bounced Judy’s head off the window. “Aw, god dammit!”

“Oh, my mistake there Fluff. Guy swerved into my lane,” he grinned. “And yes, I’m just ancient. Anyway, I guess when all you really want is a cheap thrill at the end of your day to distract you from what’s missing, you’re fine with dreamless sleep into to the next night of debauchery.”

“I guess that makes sense,” she replied, massaging her temples. She polished off her beverage and pressed the button to recline her seatback as they cruised toward ZPD headquarters, resting her ears over her eyes once more. “You’re still a dick. First, blinding me in the shower, and trying to concuss me.”

Nick was glad she hadn’t seen him while in the shower; she’d missed the panicked expression plain on his face as he moved in, fearing what he’d find. “Hey, I just wanted to be sure you didn’t fall asleep in there,” he said. “‘ZPD’s finest waterboards herself to death after recovering from undercover dope use’ isn’t the obituary I’d want to send back to Bunnyburrow. Not that there’s one I’d ever want to send. Or receive.”

“Well, thank you,” she replied. “I kinda did doze off for a moment in there. Now, let me nap. I might have overdone things last night.” 

 

Nick slugged back some of his own coffee, and drummed his pads against the wheel as he drove onwards. The cruiser hummed with the spin of the tires and the thump of the wipers against the drizzle. After pulling off the main road, he made his way through security and into the car park before tapping his sleepy partner between the ears like a snooze button. “Hey, you on-duty?”

She smacked his arm lightly with her paw, and he clutched his shoulder dramatically in pain as she chugged the last of her now cold coffee. “Always,” she shot back. “Hey, you think Clawhauser left any donuts?”

Nick snorted and rolled his eyes, turning the car off and smartening up his uniform. “C’mon, jokes are my job, Carrots,” he said. Nick pocketed the keys. She opened her door with little enthusiasm, hopping out onto the wet ground. “And anyway, you need to get in on the office secret,” he continued. “Grizzoli and Fischer bring in crullers and hides them Grizz’s drawer each day.  Password is pamplemoose.”

“I’ll add that to the rolodex of office secrets,” Judy said with a tinge of annoyance. “And how long have you been hiding this little gem from me?” Rain crashed free from the door and onto Nick as he slammed it shut, and he uttered a small snort of displeasure.

“About a week now,” he replied. She shot him a look and Nick put up his paws. “Hey, don’t look me. Your invitation had to be approved.” He shook what water he could from his fur and jacket.

“I’m presuming you put in the good word.”

“What? Hell no, I said you’d eat all the peanut butter filling ones,” he laughed. Still chortling to himself as she chuffed his arm again, Nick rubbed his elbow ruefully before reaching for the door to the ZPD offices. “Also, quit that before I charge you with assault.”

“Ugh, thanks for the reminder,” she said. Judy rolled her eyes and held her toes to one of the fan dryers the custodians put out for the floors and various animal coats. “I’m going to go get the forms for my incident report, and meanwhile you can get to work on the case file. Sound good?”

She turned to see Nick holding his damp face to one of the loudly buzzing dryers. “What?!” he called out, the roar of the dryer drowning her out.

“Oh, for…” she muttered. Judy scowled and mimed writing something, then pointed to Clawhauser. Nick replied by shooting her a wind-flapped grin, making Judy chuckle as she made for the front desk and toward the rotund form sitting behind it. “Good morning Benji.” She said, and he leaned over the desk to meet her gaze.

“Hey, Bun!” Ben replied cheerily. Clawhauser was the largest cheetah she’d ever met, and also the largest hearted. Every day since she started working with the ZPD, he’d greeted her with a pastry-filled smile and a warm hello. “So what’s on the docket today, supercop?” he asked. “Heard you made a big bust last night!”

“Yeah, and that seems like the entire docket so far.” Judy shrugged. “Cases don’t come without paperwork. Speaking of, I need a blank incident report to fill out.”

Clawhauser had been lost in thought, but gasped as she finished her sentence. “A fight? Are you okay? Did you get him good? I bet you did Bun! Was there blood?” Clawhauser was breathing even more heavily than usual. Judy rolled her eyes.

“Ben, eat another donut and relax,” she said, holding up her paws. Not many people on the force knew, but he had been moved to desk work originally due to a somewhat aggressive policing style. “I got grabbed by one of upper management and nicked him with a tranquilizer blade; it wasn’t a big deal.” 

“Ugh, booooring,” he groaned. Clawhauser spun in his chair, and had the form in his hands by the time he had completed the rotation. “Not worth the paperwork you’ll have to fill out, if you ask me. Here, have a PB in sympathy.”

Judy’s smile practically lit up the desk. “You sweetheart! You must be trying lure me away from Nick.”

“Hah! Maybe so I could have him,” he laughed, but then looked away dramatically. “Now go work, before I change my mind about that pastry.”

 

She hopped away from his desk; The thought of police work was already making her feel better, and the excellently iced doughnut certainly wasn’t making things any worse.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Judy tapped her carrot pen  against her cluttered desk, spinning lazily in her chair. The the files she had just finished writing up barely had space, boxed in by gifts and baubles from her family, Clawhauser, and Nick. The paperwork had been finished; she’d hate to admit it to Nick, but she did still get something of a boost from doing police procedural work. Recounting botched operations in order to learn from them or explaining cases of CQC was rarely a dull task to her. Nick, on the other hand, had graduated with honors, but detached himself more from the work. She actually really enjoyed his writing, taking an unusual pride in the way it would dissect connections and occurrences. Taking a moment to stretch in her chair, she got up and made her way down the rows of cubicles, peering in at her fellow officers as she made her way towards Nick’s.

“Hey Nick, you in there?” she called, rounding the corner and showing herself in. The cubicle showed no sign of him, and Judy tapped her foot in annoyance as she took the time to inspect the space. Nick liked to keep things more to the sparse side compared to her. A distinct lack of pictures immediately marked a difference, with the exception of one of him and Judy at Nick’s police academy graduation, and another only Judy had seen of Nick and his mother, kept in a locked drawer. Otherwise, a tasteful desk lamp, a manual pencil sharpener, an office chair, and a computer flanked on either side by piles of paper comprised his office decoration. Eying the case file on her desk, she flipped it open to the middle and began to read from the last marked location.

“…target was a pred-prey dancers bar of local infamy known as The Vines. The location is believed to have changed hands twice over the past decade, ending under the possession of one Rink Fischer, a scammer with known ties to the Gambol family operating from outside Zootopia’s main districts and within the savannah to an increased degree over the past year according to federal reports. (See footnotes 5, 13.) This spike in activity is as of yet unattributed according to our organized crime division, however possible causes include-”

Her ear turned at the sound of a claw clacking against the cubical wall, and Judy turnedto see Nick standing there, watching her study his notes with an air of amusement.

“I’m disappointed in my junior officer,” she said. “I figured you would have completed this by now instead of…” She eyed his muzzle. “Eating glazed crullers with Grizzoli?”

“Hmph. I was being good, Fluff. I deserved a treat on the way back.” Radiating self-satisfaction, he watched her face change from a smirk to quizzical frustration. “Oh, but back from where, you might be wondering? I got a call and had to make a little trip to Bogo’s office!”

 

Judy tried to look stoic, though she wasn’t quite sure it was working. “So, uh, what did the chief want?”

“You’re fired for assaulting a double undercover officer,” Nick said, gravely. Judy looked momentarily aghast before setting him with a withering stare. “Hah! Sorry, Cotton-tail, I had you there for a moment,” he said, wiping a tear from his eye. “Nah, you’re actually getting a commendation when all the paperwork wraps up from what I gathered, so congrats on that one.”

“Wait, really? Yes!” Judy pumped a fist in the air. “Wait, why are you still looking so sly?”

“Because even though you took to stripping surprisingly well, I know you’re gonna be pissed about the roles for our next job.” He tossed her the folder. “I’m set to go for shallow cover again, the good overworked group at Vice are apparently finding me an in this time. And you… well, you love prying through paperwork.”

 

Judy shot him a look, then groaned deeply as she peered inside. “Ugh, surveillance duty. Great, hours trapped in a sweltering van with PJ and… Francine!?”

“Cramped quarters, for sure. At least the two of you get along.” Nick proffered a paw, and Judy handed him the case file from the desk, still reading the new case voraciously. “Let’s head home, huh? I’ll wrap up this paperwork, and you can steel yourself for a day in the tinderbox with Big and Stretch.”

“And you?” Judy held up her manila folder. “What do you know about these Savage Stands?”

“One of the worst aspects of machismo pred culture,” he spat. "Tooth and claw fights until one contestant caves.” Nick smoothed a paw through the fur on his head. “Finnick loves it. I’m considering giving him a call.”

“You think that’s wise?” Judy eyed him. “If he’s a fan, maybe he’d want to help them over you.”

“Yeah, that ain’t happening,” he replied, his expression pinched. “He’s in the hole with these guys quite a few bucks last I saw. I’d bet he’ll be glad once he’s rid of them.”

“Yeah, but you knock one down, another takes its place,” she said. She tucked the folder under an arm and stood. “Anyway, we’ll turn in papers tomorrow. From the looks of it, Clawhauser is behind on his inbox/outbox again, so it shouldn’t be missed.”

“Rulebreaker! I’ll have to keep an eye on you,” Nick tutted, swiping his tail over her eyes as they walked their way back to the entrance. Humid mist drifted white against the window as the last of the rain evaporated under the setting sun. “Still, good observation. Glad I have you to watch my back,” he said, his paw finding it’s way between her shoulder blades.

“I’m gonna do more that watch your back,” she giggled and Nick groaned as she continued. “You’re gonna be studying that case file, and I’m gonna help quiz you! I’ll be just like the good old days of ZPD training.” 

“Okay.” Nick sighed heavily. “At least you won’t be making me spar this time.”

 

“Won’t I?” Judy’s tiny pink nose twitched happily; a new case, a commendation for the old one, and tonight was also Nick’s night to cook. Her head buzzed with case possibilities, even in the face of what was essentially desk work, and she already had put in an email to reserve a conference room for the surveillance crew to prep.  _ Everything was coming up Judy,  _ she thought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Basically, for our survival we need these markets. Black market goods, gambling or rackets, and sex. Sex is an easy sell to any mammal, so our claws are in a few pies there. The idea is that as we gain in strength for our weaker pillar of illicit goods, we reverse the expansion of the operation—meaning mapwise of course.” The arctic reindeer said, gesturing with his horns. He was in was a nondescript conference room in one of Tundratown’s nicer ice hotels. “We push back out into the boonies, and give these bumpkins a show; out there the organized crime isn’t quite so organized, and they consistently fail meet the demands of a simpler audience with larger appetites. This audience could be ours.”

He smiled as the assorted mammals at the table nodded and murmured amongst themselves. “This is, of course, assuming that we have the support we need, Rico.”

“I already have agency in moving to expand across all fronts,” the white-nosed Coati said. He steepled his paws in front of him. “We’ll fund you, untraceable ZT. However, I want your assurance that this will go smoothly. As your prior employer Mister Big has a habit of losing track of undesirable elements, I too, have my means.”

The reindeer didn’t flinch, even as nervous eyes around him turned down to the table. “Yes sir. I won’t let you down, and plan on moving forward with this immediately.”

Silently, Rico nodded, and the room adjourned around him. Patience had gotten him nothing but disrespect and a family that shrunk in size and in the loyalties pledged to him. Now was the time to move. Making his way from the room, he gestured to the hippo bodyguards in large coats flanking either side, and strode confidently towards the future he demanded to seize.


End file.
